Puffio

Australian Researchers have done their bit for global warming and solving the looming petroleum crisis with an invention which is sure to force us to rethink how we see the art of music, or not. The NICTA/UNSW team has won a significant international technology award - the Artemis Orchestra competition, which was recently awarded at a ceremony in Athens (Greece, not USA) with their invention, a robotically operated, computer-driven clarinet. This is the kind of forward thinking which has made this country grate, mate.

The above paragraph probably qualifies as a good example of "what to do when you have too much time on your hands", and Puffio only mentions it by way of illustrating the old adage, and as a feeble link to the following... which is to say winter is an excellent season to make a date to see some art. Most galleries are warm and welcoming, being outside is pretty dismal, and after last weekend no-one with an ounce of sense believes either The Crows or The Power will get within a bull's roar of the AFL finals. Art will keep you sane. Art will keep you warm. Art will revive your soul, and art will give you something to mope about.

Therefore: 'Knight Of The Red House' is an exhibition of jewellery by Peta Kruger, on display at the Urban Cow Gallery (Frome Street, city) from Fri 4 July and on display for a month. 'Knight Of The Red House' is Kruger's first solo exhibition, and she presents an exquisite collection of jewellery inspired by romance, sadness, historical fiction, and the life of Marie Antoinette. Thus, this ring...

Duly constituted good guys Friends of the Earth Adelaide are holding their Second Annual Art Auction, and being clever souls they've tied it in with and are running it in conjunction with the SALA Festival, on Sat 9 Aug at the North Adelaide Community Centre. The date is a way away, but they're calling for all artists to consider donating works for the auction. "We are accepting works for the auction in all media including sculpture, weaving, glass, jewellery, and framed and unframed paintings." They say, adding "Friends of the Earth Adelaide is a not for profit organisation staffed entirely by volunteers and as such we are unable to insure very expensive works. If you would like to donate such a piece you will be responsible for insuring it until it is sold and collected by its new owner."

Way back in the 1990s, Adelaide band The Artisans were a bunch of slightly self-effacing and humble artisans (oh, that word!!) who promised a great deal, presaged the 'shoegazer' movement by some years, lived a clean and vicariously celebratory lifestyle and made it safely to middle age, thus ensuring their legacy might continue until a reformation was called for. So it is for members of the artistic community Mark Kimber and Gerry Wedd, both members of the original Artisans. The band will, and has, reformed, mostly in celebration of the imminent launch of this year's SALA (South Australian Living Artist Festival) artist monograph on lead singer Wedd, who is now a ceramicist and well known Mambo artist. See 'em playing gigs around Adelaide soon...

Ahhh, but it's not about the money. Recitals Australia announce their Lunch Hour Concerts (sponsored by a major musical instrument manufacturer) is in its Awards Finals phase, and that means on Wed 2 July the 2008 Autumn Awards Finals will take place at 12.00 - 2pm at Pilgrim Church, Flinders Street, city, with a possible eight contenders for the top prizes of $1000 each. Congratulations to Tahlia De Corso and Warwick Ambrose - pianists, Naomi Hede and Desiree Frahn - sopranos, Andrey Lebedev - guitar. And all the other finalists for having made it to this round.

Keep your eyes open for signs of stardom: currently shooting in the Flinders Ranges is the feature film 'Beautiful Kate' the directorial debut for Rachel Ward, and starring Ben Mendelsohn, Rachel Griffiths, Bryan Brown, Maeve Dermody, and Sophie Lowe as Kate. In July the film crew move into Adelaide for three weeks of on location shooting.

Hello to the Move Through Life Dance Company, which opens its doors from Thurs 3 July in Glengowrie Uniting Church Hall. Message ends.

Congratulations to Australian Dance Theatre Artistic Director Garry Stewart for hooking another award: the week before last Garry Stewart was named the winner of the Outstanding Achievement in Choreography award at the 2008 Australian Dance Awards at Melbourne's State Theatre. The Award was for his work on 'Honour Bound', based on the detention of David Hicks at Guantanamo Bay and co-commissioned by the Sydney Opera House and Malthouse Theatre; a work which has (not yet) been performed in this state.